Friday, January 31, 2014

My friend Vance Pollock, who hosts the Riffin show on Ashevillefm.com, has started a Facebook page for Rock & Roll history in the Carolinas. If you dig this music, or were involved in the music of the Carolinas, please stop in and say hello at-

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/ncrockhistory/

My thanks to Vance for the shout-out to the book, and this site. Lots more about the book coming soon. Stay tuned,

Saturday, January 25, 2014

One of the joys of working on this book is discovering bands like the Grifs. The band came from the town that I have lived in for 30 years (Charlotte, NC), yet I knew little about them. Their 1965 single "Catch A Ride" stakes a claim as possessing one of the heaviest Fuzztone sounds of that year, months ahead of what was happening in New York, San Francisco or London.

For years, people have heard this song, as well as follow-up "Keep Dreaming", on a variety of compilations. However, no one knew what the band looked like. Singer and main songwriter Barry Stacks had lost all of his photos and memorabilia in a flood in the 1980s, and he had lost touch with the other bandmembers. For a number of months, I have intended to solve these mysteries.

Last weekend, I finally put the pieces together. Within an hour of each other, I located bandmembers Robert Crawford and Roy Skinner. With much sadness, I also discovered that guitarist Mike Wingate had passed away in 2010, after years of playing in various bands around Charlotte. After getting in touch with Mike's widow, I look forward to having more of the band's history, and visual record documented soon.

In talking to Robert Crawford, it turned out that a Grifs promo pic has been posted on his Facebook page for some time. Not even he was aware of how popular the Grifs had become, all these years later. When he sent me this photo this week, I felt like a kid at Christmas. THIS was the Grifs. Here they are. Enjoy.

More on this, and the Grifs soon. Until then, keep dreaming. Rest In Peace, Mike Wingate.
-Daniel
January 25, 2014

Monday, January 20, 2014

I'm happy to report that the NC 1960s book got a very nice review in the new issue of Ugly Things Magazine. Ugly Things is a fantastic magazine that has supported the Garage Rock, Psychedelia and other genres since 1983. Check it out online, and pick up a copy.

I'm also happy to report that I'll be doing a booksigning for both my NC 60s book, and the North Carolina Musicians photo/interview book at Fireside Books in Shelby, NC on March 22nd at 2pm. I'll talk, I'll sign books (hopefully) and maybe we'll play some records while we're there. I hope to see you there. Thanks,

Monday, January 13, 2014

Recently, a photo was discovered of Pat Walters' first band, the Sinclairs. Today, an almost-forgotten photo of Walters' next band, the Barons, was discovered and put up on Facebook. This photo dates from 1966. Walters and Tim Moore would join the Paragons later that same year, and record the legendary "Abba" single. Walters and Barons drummer Phil Lowe would also form the Good Bad & The Ugly in 1968. Here's that photo.

Do you have photos of Rock & Roll bands from North Carolina during the 1960s? Videos? MP3's? Please email me at danielcoston at aol dot com. Keep the awesomeness coming.
-Daniel
January 13, 2014

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

For those of you that have read There Was A Time, you'll recognize the name of the Sinclairs. This was the first band for Charlotte, NC legend Pat Walters, who went on to play with the Barons, Paragons, Good Bad & The Ugly, and the Spongetones, among others. Pat talked about the Sinclairs in our book, but no photos of the band had surfaced. Until now.

When I saw this photo online recently, I knew that a true gem had been discovered. The clothes, the gear, Pat (who in the center) looking over at his other guitarist. And yes, the Junior High school girls lined up in back. If you want to know what was going on in 1964, look no further than this photo. Awesome.

About Me

I have been a traveler, a documentarian, an enjoyer of life, a survivor, a lead character, a supporting role, a storyteller, an excitable boy, a quiet soul, and an occasional thinker. All when the world asked me to, or all at the same time.